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Columbia University suspends wrestling program amid allegations of racism and homophobia

Columbia University’s wrestling program has been halting while racist and lewd texts that members of the team allegedly sent out.

According to a university statement, the wrestling team will not compete while the investigation is underway until they reach “a full understanding of the facts on which to base the official response to this disturbing matter.”

“Columbia University has zero tolerance in its athletics programs for the group messaging and texts sent by several members of the men’s varsity wrestling team,” the university said in the statement. “They are appalling, at odds with the core values of the University, and violate team guidelines.”

The alleged messages go back as far as 2014 and include both racist and homophobic slurs as well as lewd comments toward women.

An online petition is already urging Columbia President Lee Bollinger to expel team members and had reached almost 1,000 signatures as of Tuesday.